Franz Seldte

(1882 - 1947)

Franz Seldte was born in Magdeburg and, after studying
in Braunschweig, he fought for Germany in World War I. He lost his arm in battle, and his injury inspired him
to found the Stahlhelm, a veterans' organization. The Stahlhelm quickly transformed into an engaged military organization. Men within
the organization were not considered veterans, but rather, they were
seen as potential soldiers to fight for the Nazi
Party.

Seldte quickly became a supporter of the NSDAP,
and contributed to Hitler's rise to power. He had a very extreme perception of Germany's future,
and he, like many Nazi officials, believed that the Versailles Treaty
was the source of the country's problems. Seldte was appointed Reich
Minister of Labour. He was also a member of the Reichstag and a Labour
Minister for Prussia.

Eventually, Seldte helped to destroy the Stahlhelm,
his own organization. He worked for the Third Reich for the remainder
of his life.